15 by-elections: PDP kicks as APC wins in Lagos, Bauchi, others

• Results show APC remains chosen party – Buhari

The candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were on Sunday declared winners of most of the by-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill 15 vacant parliamentary seats.

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The opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had faulted the outcome of the by-elections. INEC had on Saturday conducted by-elections in 11 states to fill vacant parliamentary seats in both National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.

APC wins Lagos East, Kosofe

INEC declared Mr Tokunbo Abiru, the candidate of the APC the winner of Saturday’s by-election for Lagos East Senatorial district.

The INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Ademola Oremosu of the University of Lagos, declared the result at the collation centre at INEC Office in Somolu.

Prof. Oremosu said that Abiru polled a total of 89, 204 votes to defeat his closest rival, Babatunde Gbadamosi of the PDP, Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi, who scored 11,257 votes.

Also, the APC candidate Femi Saheed also won the election for Kosofe 2 constituency with 12,494 votes to 2,068 recorded by PDP’s Ademola Alebiosu, according to the Collation Officer, Prof. Iyinola Oni.

Gbadamosi of the PDP had kicked against the outcome of the elections, alleging it was manipulated in favour of the ruling party but the APC faulted his claim.

Abiru in his victory speech said the outcome of the elections reflects the popularity of the APC.

The PDP in Lagos State yesterday described Saturday’s Senatorial and House of Assembly by-elections in the state as a charade.

The party accused INEC of allocating votes to the APC. PDP’s Chairman,  Engineer Adedeji Doherty, however insisted that Lagos State would be rescued from the APC and its leadership despite the setback recorded during the by-elections.

But the APC in its reaction through its spokesman Seye Oladejo said the election was “a referendum on the spineless and ineffectual opposition that the PDP has been providing in Lagos State for over two decades.”

Reacting to the outcome of the poll, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said APC’s victory with wide margin in the by-elections was a sound testament to the confidence the people of Lagos State have in the party.

Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has congratulated the APC for its victory in the various by-elections conducted nationwide.

Atule wins Ibaji constituency

In Kogi, INEC has declared Mr Egbunu Atule of the APC as the winner of the Ibaji state constituency by-election held on Saturday.

The INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Rotimi Ajayi, who announced the results of the election on Sunday at Onyadega, headquarters of Ibaji local government area, said that Atule polled 8,515 to emerge winner. Ajayi said that Mr Daniel Enefola of the PDP came second in the election by scoring 4,565 votes.

Daduut wins Plateau South

In Jos, the Plateau State capital, INEC yesterday declared Prof. Nora Daduut of the APC as the winner of the Plateau South senatorial by-election.

The by-election was conducted to fill the vacuum created by the death of Sen. Ignatius Longjan which occurred on Feb. 9. INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Idris Amali, announced that Daduut polled 83,151 votes to defeat her closest challenger, Mr George Daika of the PDP who scored 70,838 votes; a margin of 12,313 votes.

Reacting to his party’s victory, the Plateau State governor, Simon Bako Lalong, has congratulated Prof. Nora Dadu’ut for making history as the first female Senator-elect in Plateau State.

APC wins Imo North without candidate

The ruling party also won the Imo North Senatorial District. Announcing the result, the Returning Officer, Mr Hakeem Adikum, said that the APC polled a total of 36, 811 votes, while PDP came second with 31,903 votes.

However, the commission did not return a candidate from the party. Speaking, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, said that the commission was unable to return a candidate from the APC as winner. This, he said, was as a result of what he described as “several court orders” for and against the two major contenders, Frank Ibezim and Ifeanyi Araraume.

Bala Mohammed fails to deliver Das to PDP

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State at the weekend failed to deliver Das State Constituency to the PDP.  The candidate of the APC, Bala Ali Lukshi won the by-election held on Saturday in Dass local government area of Bauchi State.

Declaring the results Saturday, the Returning Officers, Professor Ahmed Muhammad announced that Lukshi of the APC scored 12,299 to defeat  Lawal Bala Wundi of the PDP, who polled 11,062.

Reacting, Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, enjoined members and supporters of his party to accept defeat with dignity and sportsmanship.

The governor in a statement signed by his spokesman, Mukhtar Gidado, described the loss of the PDP as a will of God.

PDP wins in Cross River

The PDP was yesterday declared winner of the two by-elections conducted in Cross River State by INEC. The candidate of the PDP, Dr Stephen Odey, was yesterday declared winner of the Cross River North Senatorial by-election.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Ameh Akoh of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ikwo, Ebonyi, who announced the result, said Odey scored 129,207 votes to defeat eight other candidates.

Akoh said the candidate of the APC, Mr Joe Agi (SAN) scored 19,165 votes to emerge second while the candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Mr Gregory Agam, came third with 388 votes.

The senatorial by-election followed the death of Sen. Rose Oko.

The PDP’s candidate, Mrs Maria Akwaji, also won the Obudu State Constituency seat in the House of Assembly. Akwaji polled a total of 32,166 votes to defeat her closest rival, Mr Abor Adaji, of the APC who scored 3,546 votes.

Dickson wins Bayelsa West senatorial by-election

A former governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson of the PDP was yesterday declared winner of Bayelsa West Senatorial District by-election.

According to the result announced by the returning officer, Dickson polled a total of 115,257 votes to defeat his closest rival, Peremobowei Ebebi of the APC who polled a total of 17,500 votes.

PDP leads as INEC declares Bakura by- election inconclusive

INEC has declared Saturday’s state assembly constituency by- election held in Bakura local government area of Zamfara state inconclusive.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Ibrahim Magawata said the decision followed the cancellation of results of 14 polling units in Bakura ward with 11,429 votes.

Magawata announced that the candidate of the APC, Alhaji Bello Dankande Gamji scored 16,464 votes while Alhaji Ibrahim Tudu of the PDP got 18,645 votes.

Meanwhile, two INEC adhoc staff were declared missing during the by-election. In its reaction, the PDP has asked the Returning Officer in the Bakura Constituency by-election in Zamfara State,  Prof. Ibrahim Magatawa to step aside.

The Returning Officer had declared the last Saturday’s by-election in the constituency inconclusive and ordered a rerun while the PDP was in early lead.

The PDP in a statement on Sunday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said to make such a declaration in an election “already won by the PDP is to enable the APC gain upper hand over the PDP.”

Results show APC remains chosen party – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday said the results from the Saturday by-elections across the country showed that the ruling APC remained the chosen party of Nigerians.

President Buhari, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, welcomed the by-elections results with a promise that the APC would not fail the nation

The president, who congratulated the successful candidates, said that he was particularly “very pleased” with the election outcomes.

He urged the party to uphold the spirit of hard work, unity, progress, cooperation which he said formed the bedrock of the victories.

Buhari said: “Results coming from the states of the long list of by-elections show definitely that our party, the All Progressives Congress, remains the chosen party of Nigerians.”